Crazy Taxi was one of the hallmark games of the late 90s and early 2000s. Seriously, the game was everywhere! It was in every arcade and game room, was present on every major home console and even showed up in movies from time to time. 

It might not have reached the same heights as Pac-Man or Mario, but everyone with even a passing knowledge of games knew Crazy Taxi, and a great many of us now carry fond memories of it. Then, after two sequels, it disappeared for 20 years. We all thought it was dead, but it turns out it was just dormant!

In a move that I highly doubt anyone saw coming, Sega announced at Summer Games Fest that Crazy Taxi is coming back next year with Crazy Taxi: World Tour. It’s not a gameplay trailer, but it hits all the right notes and seems to indicate that all the mayhem and zaniness that made the original such a hit will indeed be making a comeback as well. So, for now, chances are good that this isn’t going to be one of those dreaded revivals in name only.

Looking at the website and Steam page reveals some of the things players can look forward to. For one, Crazy Taxi: World Tour is actually going to have a story this time. As “Axel,” players will tear up the road across five cities around the world in an effort to recover his stolen car. Each will present different missions to complete and challenges to overcome, so it’s probably going to keep players on their toes at the very least.

Classic mode is back, of course, and, for the first time, players will be able to test their skills against each other in the series’ first online multiplayer mode. The Steam page says the competition will be a matter of speed and technique, so rather than directly racing against each other, I’m thinking that players will be indirectly competing for points or completion times across select stages. I guess we’ll find out, though.

Still, I’d say that the craziest thing in all this is the fact that Crazy Taxi: World Tour is real. Sure, Crazy Taxi is still fondly remembered and has hung on via ports to PC and current systems, but it’s still one of those games that’s fondly remembered as a relic of better times rather than a hotly anticipated ongoing series. It’s a thrill to see it return, though, so here’s hoping that it sells well enough to truly revive Crazy Taxi as a series, yeah?

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How do you feel about this? Do you have any fond Crazy Taxi memories from your younger years?

Image from the Steam page